Dave Portnoy insists that his thoughts on the current state of the stock market aren’t political.
But when it comes to President Donald Trump’s handling of the situation, the Barstool Sports founder clearly isn’t a fan.
That much has been clear over the course of the past week, in which Portnoy has taken issue with Trump’s tariffs and the ensuing effect on the stock market. After stating on Friday that he had lost $7 million as a result, the Boston native said he’s now down roughly $20 million on a day he — and many others — have dubbed “Orange Monday.”
“So Trump rolls out the tariffs, right? And it destroys the stock market. People are comparing it to all these other crashes; this one’s the only one I can think of that’s like man-made,” Portnoy said during his daily Davey Day Trader stream on Monday morning. “Like the stock market crashes on 9/11, yes. The stock market crashed [during] COVID, yes. But this is a decision that one guy made that crashed the whole stock market. That’s why we’re calling it Orange Monday and not Black Monday.”
“El Presidente” proceeded to take issue with the optics of Trump’s participation in the Senior Club Championship at the Trump National Golf Club amid the ongoing chaos, as well as him bragging about the state of his golf game.
“I didn’t love seeing him on the golf course playing his course championship and being like, ‘I’m a very low handicap.’ I didn’t love that,” he said. “The stock market is getting crushed. I’ve lost 20 percent of my net worth. And you’re out on the golf course.”
Playing devil’s advocate with himself, he then argued that perhaps Trump was merely trying to show he’s unfazed as a negotiating tactic. Still, hitting the links considering the current state of the economy didn’t sit well with Portnoy (and many others).
“Like in my mind, Donald Trump just cost me 20 million with whatever he did. Maybe don’t be on the golf course,” he said. “Because I’m curled up in a ball in bed sweating.”
While Portnoy also took issue with liberals celebrating the stock market crashing, his comments regarding Trump are especially notable considering his past public support of the 45th and 47th president. In a world where most public figures’ stances appear predetermined based on partisanship, Portnoy’s willingness to both praise and critique Trump has stood out, with his recent commentary leading NBC News to suggest that the White House has a “Barstool problem.”
Portnoy’s ability to call it both ways was on full display on Monday, as he was quick to celebrate the stock market’s surge following reports that Trump was considering delaying his tariffs. The only problem? That proved to be “fake news,” leading to another dip amid an already tumultuous morning.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.